Apparatus for accurately positioning a bottom pour ladle



ilme 1966 R. s. CROWELL ETAL 3,255,499

APPARATUS FOR ACCURATELY POSITIONING A BOTTOM POUR LADLE Filed March 50, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. RICHARD 5. CROWELL and THOMAS A. CUSC/NO H MfiiMm 5/% A Horney June 14, 1966 s, c ow L ETAL 3,255,499

APPARATUS FOR ACCURATELY POSITIONING A BOTTOM POUR LADLE Filed March so, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 L I I a 24 27 0 -25 /2 30 /|JJ IJ I,

a P P 1| 4 E: i .TjzJ. 22 19/" 1 J 35 I I 5'2 H I INVENTORS.

RICHARD .5. CROWELL and THOMAS A. CUSCl/VO Attorney June 14, 1966 s, CROWELL ETAL 3,255,499

APPARATUS FOR ACCURATELY POSITIONING A BOTTOM POUR LADLE Filed March 30, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 T 4 I "II I ll II} n /'l v XIII!!!- Ill-Ill lllnll III I INVENTORS RICHARD SCROWELL and THg iyAS A. CUSCINO June 14, 1966 s, c ow ETAL 3,255,499

APPARATUS FOR ACCURATELY POSITIONING A BOTTOM POUR LADLE Filed March 30, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS RICHARD $.CROWELL and THOMAS A. CUSCINO ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 255,499 APPARATUS FOR AGCURATELY POSITIONING A BOTTOM POUR LADLE Richard S. Crowell, Flossmoor, Bloom Township, 111., and

Thomas A. Cuscino, Baldwin, Pa., assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 445,860 8 Claims. (Cl. 22-82) This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 253,128, filed January 22, 1963, now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to pouring molten metal into a mold and, in particular, to mechanism for accurately positioning the nozzle of a bottom pour ladle relative to a mold.

It is desirable in certain casting operations to spot the outlet of the teeming ladle very accurately with respect to the mold which is to receive the molten metal. One such operation is the continuous casting of metal into a flowthrough chill mold. Since the mass of the ladle and contents is great and the mold is rather small, at least in one dimension, a conventional crane trolley is not well suited for the accurate spotting which is necessary.

We have invented a novel ladle positioning apparatus which, because of the accurate spotting it affords, is particularly adapted for continuous casting operations. This apparatus comprises a pair of spaced, parallel, generally vertical guide rails-mounted for horizontalmovement of the lower ends thereof, a spreader beam for suspending the ladle and having means at its ends for engaging the guide rails, and means for moving the lower ends of the guide rails horizontally so as to position the ladle nozzle accurately. According to one embodiment of the invention the guide rails are pivotally mounted adjacent their upper ends so that the lower ends move in a substantially horizontal arc. According to another embodiment of the invention the guide rails are mounted for horizontal reciprocating movement.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial horizontal section taken along line IIIIII- of FIG. 1, showing parts in plan;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation according to a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a partial horizontal section taken along line VIVI of FIG. 4, showing parts in plan.

Referring now in detail to FIGS. 1-3, ateeming ladle 10 having a bottom pour nozzle 11 is suspended from a spreader beam 12 by a hook 13, a spreader plate 14 carried thereby and stirrups 15 engaging the ladle trunnions 16. Beam 12 is provided with sheaves 17 and is suspended by ropes 18 from an overhead crane, for example, that at the top of a continuous casting apparatus.

Erect guide rails 19 are pivotally mounted in spaced parallel relation, one on each side of ladle 10. Each rail has secured thereto adjacent its upper end a laterally projecting shaft 20 journaled in a bearing 21. Rails 19 are of channel section with their webs inclined outwardly and their flanges flared at the upper and lower ends. Beam 12 has rollers 22 journaled at its ends which travel inv the ways formed by the webs and flanges of rails ice 19. Bearings 21 may conveniently be mounted on a floor 23 carried by the stationary frame which supports the which a screw 29 is threaded. One end of screw 29 is pivotally connected to the rail 19 at 30. By properly energizing both motors 25, jacks 24 will be actuated to swing rails 19 through the desired angle, thus shifting ladle 10 back or forth across the upper end of an erect tubular mold 31.

Guide tracks 32 secured to a floor 33 confine rollers 34 carried by brackets 35 mounted on rails 19. These tracks prevent sidewise swaying of the rails 19 in a plane containing the axes of shafts 20. Hook 13 may be of the conventional motorized rotatable type so that, by a combination of the angular adjustment of the ladle and the swinging adjustment thereof, the nozzle 11 may be positioned at any desired point within the range of adjustment.

In operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, a ladle 10 containing molten steel and supported from spreader beam 12 is transported horizontally by a conventional crane which includes hoist ropes 18 until nozzle 11 is approximately directly above mold 31. The ladle 10 and spreader beam 12 are then lowered until nozzle 11 is at an elevation immediately above the elevation of the top of mold 31. Rollers 22 enter the guide channels in rails 19 as the ladle and spreader beam are lowered. The upper ends of guide rails 19 are flared to facilitate entry of rollers 22 into the guide channels. After the ladle 10 has been lowered to the correct elevation for teeming, it is rotated by turning ladle hook 13 until the nozzle 11 is above the mold 31. Precise adjustment of the position of nozzle 11 is made by rotating guide rails 19 through a small angle about shafts 20 by means of jacks 24. Rotation of guide rails 1'9causes the lower ends of rails 19 and ladle nozzle 11 to move in an essentially horizontal path until the desired position of nozzle 11 is reached.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, a modified form of the invention is shown in which a pair of vertical guide rails 40 are mounted for horizontal reciprocatory movement of small magnitude-instead of the swinging movement of guide rails 19 in FIGS. 1-3. This embodiment includes a teeming ladle 10 having a bottom pour nozzle 11 suspended from a spreader beam 12 by a hook 13, a spreader plate 14 carried thereby and stirrups 15 engaging the ladle trunnions 16. Beam 12 is provided with sheaves 17 and is suspended by ropes 18 from an overhead crane, for example, that at the top of a continuous casting apparatus. 'Beam 12 has rollers 22 for traveling in guide ways in vertical guide rails 40. The ladle 10, spreader beam 12, and structure for suspending the spreader beam from an overhead crane may be identical to their counterparts in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3.

Guide rails 40 are located in spaced parallel relation, one on each side of ladle 10, Rails 40 are of channel section with their webs inclined outwardly and their flanges flared at the upper ends. The webs and flanges of rails 40 provide guide ways for rollers 22.

The mounting of rails 40 includes a pair of vertically spaced carriages 41a and 41b, each of which has a plurality of rollers 42 which ride on vertically spaced horizontal guide rails 43a and 43b. These horizontal guide rails 43a and 43b are preferably of rectangular cross section with guide surfaces on the top and sides, and are secured to the stationary frame which supports the continuous casting apparatus.

Movement of vertical guide rails 40 is accomplished-by a pair of motor driven horizontal screw jacks 44a and 44b attached to each rail 40. Each rail 40 includes a motor 45 mounted on bracket 46 attached to the rail 40 between screw jacks 44a and 44b having drive shafts 47a and 47!) extending in either direction from the motor toward jacks 44a and 44b respectively. Shafts 47a and 47b drive worm and worm-wheel reduction gears 48a and 48b respectively. The wheels of reduction gears 48:: and 48b have tapped bores through which screws 49a and 49b respectively are threaded. Screws 49a and 49b are pivotally connectedat one end to stationary supporting brackets 50a and 50b by means of joints 52a and 52b, each of which includes a yoke and a clevis pin. It is important that guide rails 43a and 43b and screw jacks 44a, 44b be parallel and preferably horizontal. Limit switches 60 which cooperate with blocks 63 on carriage 41a limit the travel of guide rails 40 to the desired range.

Operation of the motors 45 on each of the guide rails 40 causes turning of the reduction gear units 48:: and 48b, resulting in horizontal reciprocatory movement of vertical guide rails 40. This movement moves ladle back or forth across the upper end of tubular mold 31. By combination of reciprocatory movement vertical guide rails 40 which causes similar movement of ladle 10, plus rotary movement of ladle 10 by rotation of hook 13 which is of the conventional motorized rotatable type, nozzle 11 may be positioned at any desired point over the opening in continuous casting mold 31.

As in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3, the ladle is brought to teeming position by first lowering it so that rollers 22 are properly entered between the flanges of rails 40. The necessary adjustment of the rails will thereafter be effected in the manner heretofore described.

In operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6, a ladle 10 and spreader beam 12 are lowered to teeming elevation as previously described in connection with FIGS. 1-3. Guide rails 40 guide rollers 22 as the ladle descends. Ladle 10 is then rotated until nozzle 11 is above mold 31. Precise adjustment of the position of nozzle 11 is made by moving rails 40 horizontally by means of screw jacks 44a and 44b. This causes ladle nozzle 11 to move horizontally until it is in desired position above mold 31.

As is evident from the foregoing, our invention provides means for positioning a ladle accurately for teeming and holding it steady in the chosen position. Our positioning and holding means is simple, inexpensive and easy to control. Once the desired position has been achieved, no further attention is required until a ladle is ready to be replaced by its successor.

Although we have disclosed herein the preferred embodiments of our invention, we intend to cover as well any change or modification therein which may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for precisely positioning a bottom pour ladle comprising a pair of spaced parallel and generally vertical guide rails, means secured to a stationary frame for pivotally supporting said guide rails for swinging movement adjacent their upper ends and thereby permitting each of said guide rails to swing in a vertical plane, a vertically traveling spreader beam adapted to support a suspended bottom pour ladle, said spreader beam being guided in its vertical travel by said guide rails and including means at its ends for engaging said guide rails, and means for swinging said guide rails whereby said ladle may be positioned precisely for pourmg.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said means for engaging said guide rails include rollers adapted to ride on said rails.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including jacks connected to the rails adjacent their lower ends, respectively.

.4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized by said rails being of channel section.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized by fixed guide ways parallel to the plane in which said rails swing, and means on said rails cooperating with said ways.

. 6. Apparatus for precisely positioning a bottom pour ladle comprising a pair of spaced parallel and generally vertical guide rails, means secured to a stationary frame for pivotally supporting said guide rails adjacent their upper ends and thereby permitting each of said guide rails to swing in a vertical plane, a vertically traveling spreader beam guided in its vertical travel by said guide rails and including means at its ends for engaging said guide rails, a bottom pour ladle suspended from said spreader beam, and means for swinging said guide rails whereby said ladle may be positioned precisely for pouring.

7. Apparatus for precisely positioning a bottom pour ladle comprising a horizontally extending and vertically traveling spreader beam, means for supporting said spreader beam from an overhead crane and for raising and lowering said spreader beam, means carried by said spreader beam for rotatably supporting a bottom pour ladle, a pair of spaced parallel and generally vertical guide rails for receiving the ends of said spreader beam when said spreader beam is lowered below said crane, means supporting said vertical guide rails for horizontal movement of the lower ends thereof, and means for moving the lower ends of said guide rails a small amount horizontally and independently of said overhead crane, whereby said ladle may be positioned precisely for pouring.

8. Apparatus for precisely positioning a bottom pour .ladle comprising a horizontally extending and vertically traveling spreader beam, means for supporting said spreader beam from an overhead crane and for raising and lowering said spreader beam, a bottom pour ladle suspended from said spreader beam, said bottom pour ladle having a discharge opening laterally offset from the vertical axis thereof, and means for rotating said ladle independently of the movements of said spreader beam, a pair of spaced parallel and generally vertical guide rails for receiving the ends of said spreader beam when said spreader beam is lowered below said crane, means supporting said vertical guide rails for horizontal movement of the lower ends thereof, and means for moving the lower ends of said guide rails a small amount horizontally and independently of said overhead crane, whereby said ladle may be positioned precisely for pouring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,008,324 7/ 1935 Grab 214-660 2,733,819 2/1956 Eliot. 2,815,133 12/1957 Asheim et al. 3,104,016 9/1963 Harry 214658 3,157,923 11/ 1964 Hodler 2282 FOREIGN PATENTS 171,208 3/ 1906 Germany.

27,899 12/ 1896 Great Britain.

I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

R. D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR PRECISELY POSITIONING A BOTTOM POUR LADLE COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL AND GENERALLY VERTICAL GUIDE RAILS, MEANS SECURED TO A STATIONARY FRAME FOR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID GUIDE RAILS FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT ADJACENT THEIR UPPER ENDS AND THEREBY PERMITTING EACH OF SAID GUIDE RAILS TO SWING IN A VERTICAL PLANE, A VERTICALLY TRAVELING SPREADER BEAM ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A SUSPENDED BOTTOM POUR LADLE, SAID SPREADER BEAM BEING GUIDED IN ITS VERTICAL TRAVEL BY SAID GUIDE RAILS AND INCLUDING MEANS AT ITS ENDS FOR ENGAGING SAID GUIDE RAILS, AND MEANS FOR SWINGING SAID GUIDE RAILS WHEREBY SAID LADLE MAY BE POSITIONED PRECISELY FOR POURING. 